INTRO.- From triumph to tragedy. Those words don’t sound very good, do they? I think we would prefer “from rags to riches.” That sounds better, more exciting, more enchanting.
ILL.- Carrie Underwood. Who is she? What did she do? She won the American Idol contest in 2005. Carrie Underwood is 23 years old and was raised on her parents’ farm in rural Checotah, Oklahoma.
On the March 22, 2005, American Idol show, after a performance of Heart’s "Alone", Simon Cowell said, "Carrie, you’re not just the girl to beat, you’re the person to beat. I will make a prediction, not only will you win this competition, but you will sell more records than any other previous ’Idol’ winner." Cowell went on to say on the March 30 show that she has the "it factor" that will make her a star.
On her last song of the night in the final two, Carrie’s performance of "Angels Brought Me Here" had Simon saying, "I think you’ve done enough to win the competition." On May 25, 2005, she became the fourth winner of American Idol, From rags to riches.
As part of her title, Underwood gained a recording contract with Arista Records; her first single, "Inside Your Heaven", was released on June 14, 2005. The single debuted at #1 on the Billboard Hot 100, with first-week sales of 170,000 copies.
Underwood’s second single, "Jesus, Take The Wheel" was made available for radio airplay on October 18, 2005. It received so much airplay that it debuted at #39 on the Billboard Country Chart in its first week, setting a record. As it climbed it finally reached #1 for 6 consecutive weeks setting a record on the country charts.
I was walking through Wal-mart one day and heard, “Jesus, Take the Wheel.” Here are some of the lyrics.
Jesus take the wheel
Take it from my hands
Cause I can’t do this all on my own
I’m letting go
So give me one more chance
To save me from this road I’m on
Jesus take the wheel
Now why in the world would she ever sing a song like that? I think because she believes in giving Jesus the wheel in her life. I hope so. I think so. I pray so. FROM RAGS TO RICHES. Carrie has become an instant celebrity and is probably already worth millions. But her true worth is found in her Christian faith, which I hope she keeps and continues to live.
Rags to riches sounds good but for Jesus, it was not to be. Not on earth. It seems that he went from riches to rags, from triumph to tragedy.
First, he left heaven for earth. From riches to rags. From gloryland to this sinful world. In our text, however, we see another great misfortune or humiliation, if we may call it that. Jesus went from being honored to dishonor. From triumph to tragedy.
PROP.- From out text, let’s consider about how Jesus went from triumph one week to tragedy the next.
1- The Triumph
2- The Tragedy
I. THE TRIUMPH
Triumph time for Jesus was when He entered Jerusalem and everybody was happy. Or so it seemed.
Matthew 21:8-11 “A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Hosanna in the highest!" When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, "Who is this?" The crowds answered, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee."
The disciples were told to prepare for the Lord’s coming and the people were excited. It was as though a giant ticker-tape parade was taking place. The disciples prepared and the people praised.
As Jesus rode into Jerusalem, the crowds shouted, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” Most of the people seemed to believe that Jesus was sent from God. I’m not sure they believed that He was God in the flesh, however. But it’s always nice when people believe in you, who you are, your mission, your work, etc.
ILL.- How many of you have heard Bob Russell of the Southeast Christian Church, Louisville, KY, preach? If you haven’t, you can on the internet via the livingword.org or oneplace.com. The Southeast Christian Church has grown from approximately 120 people to about 19,000 in nearly 40 years. Bob is not a loud preacher. He doesn’t have the greatest delivery but his sermons are excellent, sound, scriptural, and well illustrated. But they also have something else. BELIEVEABILITY. And that’s because Bob is believable. When you hear Bob speak he is very open, honest, frank, and is quick to admit his own inadequacies and errors. This is what helps to make his sermons believable. Consequently, he gets a lot of praise and praise is nice, if it doesn’t go to your head. And I don’t think it has in his case. I think Bob is quick to give the Lord the praise for all the good in his life, including his successful ministry.
Cheering and praising are good, if deserved. However, I don’t think Jesus let it go to his head either. Jesus could always see through anybody, any time. He knew if it was genuine praise or not.
Rom. 12:10 “Be devoted to one another in brotherly love. Honor one another above yourselves.”
Rom. 13:7 “Give everyone what you owe him: if you owe taxes, pay taxes (ugh!), if revenue, then revenue, if respect, then respect, if honor, then honor.”
Because life is hard, I think we need to give honor to those who deserve it. I think we need to commend, praise and encourage one another. This helps people to keep going in life.
ILL.- I heard one time that an elder in a certain church who had labored long and hard, said to someone, “You know, I’ve been an elder in my church for over 30 years and no one has ever said thank you to me for anything.”
If that’s true in some cases, that’s a shame! The people in that church should be ashamed.
Ingratitude, whether to God or man, is a sin. Now on the other hand, some may never seem to get praised for the good they do in his life.
ILL. - Henry C. Morrison was a great missionary who served the Lord in Africa for over 40 years. On the way back to United States, he began to wonder, “Will anyone remember us? Will anyone recall who we are? Will anyone meet us at the boat?” Well, unknown to Henry Morrison and his wife, Teddy Roosevelt, President of U.S., was also on board that ship. He had gone to Africa for a hunting trip.
When the ship pulled into New York harbor he looked to see if anyone had come to welcome them back home. Thousands of people were there cheering. Bands were playing. There were signs, banners, and billboards everywhere saying, “Welcome Home”. Henry and his wife were so excited about the crowds of people that were there to welcome them home and they went down to get their luggage, came back to the deck of the ship to get off and they realized that the parade of people were already gone. They had come to welcome home Teddy Roosevelt.
Henry Morrison went to his hotel room with a heavy heart. As he sat there on the bed, he asked his wife, “Honey, I just don’t get it…for 40 years we poured our lives into ministry and service. And yet we come back to America and not a single soul comes to welcome us home!” His wife came and sat down next to her husband, she put her hand on his shoulder, and comforted him with words that he would never forget, “Henry, you have forgotten something, you’re not home yet!”
And may that be of comfort to you. It doesn’t matter what takes place in this life, your ultimate reward is in heaven. Always remember, “You’re not home yet.”
Rev. 14:13 “Then I heard a voice from heaven say, "Write: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Yes," says the Spirit, "they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them." FOR THEIR DEEDS WILL FOLLOW THEM. The praise will come. By His grace, we will be saved! And by His grace, we will be honored.
II. THE TRAGEDY
Mark 15:25-30, 33-34 “It was the third hour when they crucified him. The written notice of the charge against him read: THE KING OF THE JEWS. They crucified two robbers with him, one on his right and one on his left. Those who passed by hurled insults at him, shaking their heads and saying, "So! You who are going to destroy the temple and build it in three days, come down from the cross and save yourself!"
33-34 “At the sixth hour darkness came over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani?"—which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?"
In no time, the people went from praising to crucifying and Jesus went from triumph to tragedy. The same people who praised Him now wanted to crucify Him.
I’ve seen this happen in life and in churches. When someone doesn’t live up to the expectations of the people they are quick to crucify them or tar and feather them.
ILL.- Gene A. Smith, an American historian, authored a book entitled, “When The Cheering Stopped.” The book told of Woodrow Wilson, and the events surrounding WWI. At the end of the war, people were optimistic. They believed that the last war had been fought. The dream was that the world had at last been made safe, and the way had been paved for democracy and freedom everywhere.
When Woodrow Wilson paid his first visit to Europe, he was greeted by large crowds, and he was cheered every place he went. In many people’s eyes he was more popular than the greatest war heroes throughout the land. He was viewed as an icon of hope.
In all, the cheering lasted for about a year. Then it began to stop. The political leaders throughout Europe were interested more in their own agendas than a lasting peace, and the people slowly lost hope. On the home front, Wilson met opposition in the Senate, and his league of nations was never ratified. Under tremendous stress, his health began to fail. In the next election, his party lost. Woodrow Wilson, who almost two years earlier was heralded as a hero, came to his last days as a broken and defeated man.
What happened to Woodrow Wilson has also happened to preachers, politicians, and all kinds of people, even the rich and the famous.
ILL.- Martha Stewart was riding high in the saddle at one time as the CEO of her company and worth over a billion dollars. But she was eventually convicted of lying to investigators and was sentenced to prison in 2004. She was released on March 4, 2005. She’s still popular but perhaps not as popular. Jail didn’t hurt her too much. Nevertheless, there was a time when some of the cheering stopped.
ILL.- Ever since the popular actor Brad Pitt left his wife Jennifer Aniston after 4 ½ years for Angelina Jolie his popularity has gone downhill. Some of the cheering has stopped.
Even his fellow actor Michael Douglas said, “Why did he leave pretty Jennifer Aniston for Angelina Jolie?”
In our text today, we see such an example. Jesus, the son of a carpenter, gained favor with men, was cheered and praised, but would soon be mocked, scorned, and cast aside by the same ones who did the cheering.
Jesus didn’t gather any troops. He didn’t lead a revolt. But He didn’t do what they expected. Instead, He taught that in order to be great, you must be a servant. Jesus did everything the people didn’t want, and so the cheering stopped.
It’s amazing that when things go our way, when God does what we want, when Jesus rises to our cause; it’s easy to cheer. But what about when He doesn’t do these things? What happens when we face oppression? What happens when we experience troubles? Too often, the cheering comes to a stop. Words of adoration and praise quickly fade.
When Jesus doesn’t meet with our expectations in this life, we must be careful not to crucify Him!
CONCLUSION---------------------------
Matthew 6:1-2 “Be careful not to do your ’acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full.”
Some people will only be rewarded in this life. Others will receive a finer, better reward in heaven. Jesus was not often rewarded in this life. But now He is glorified, exalted, cheered and praised and will be for all eternity! So hang in there! You may not get your praise now but you will in heaven!
